Liquid receiver for aerosol dispensers



Jan. 11, 1966 R. H. ABPLANALP 3,228,567

LIQUID RECEIVER FOR AEROSOL DISPENSERS Filed July 5, 1963 INVENTOR.

Poberf Hen/ y fibp/ma/ v BY cm valve stem against such damage.

United States Patent 3,228,567 LIQUID RECEIVER FGR AEROSOL DISPENSERSRobert Henry Ahplanalp, Hewitt Ave, Bronxville, N.Y.

Filed July 3, 1963, Ser. No. 293,239 9 Claims. (Cl. 222-157) Thisinvention relates to liquid receiving receptacles which have heretoforebeen supported solely on the valve stem of an aerosol dispenser and areadapted to be manually depressed for the purpose of receiving liquiddelivered from the can or other container of the dispenser.

The difliculty with these prior constructions is that the valve stemofsuch a dispenser is relatively weak, particularly when molded fromplastic and, as a result, the engagement of the receiver with anyextraneous, unyieldable object is apt to either break or bend the valvestem and thus render the dispenser can inoperative while it still maycontain appreciable quantities of the liquid housed therein. These priorconstructions had to be handled with great care for no satisfactorystructure has been produced which will effectually protect the receiverand The object of the present invention is to support the receivingreceptacle upon the can or'other container of the dispenser in suchmanner as to' provide adequate protection against damage so that thevalve stem of the dispenser is thoroughly'safeguarded against lateralimpact and strains and the possibility of damage thereto is eliminated.

The present invention fundamentally consists in the provision of aholder in which the receiving receptacle is adapted to be contained,said holder being firmly and iimmovably supported on the can in suchmanner as to preclude inadvertent dislodgment thereof it struck againstan extraneous object. Even though aportion of thereceptacleex'tendsabove the holder engagement with such extending partwill not either dislodge the receptacle from the holder or permit the"lateral force thus received to have any bending or detrimentaleffecLupon the valve stem of the dispenser.

The liquid delivered into the receptacle from the can is adapted to bemanually poured from the receptacle while it remains in the holder, bysimply lifting and tilting the container. Having initially applied theholder and receptacle of the present invention to an aerosol dispensercan, the parts remain thereon as permanent fixtures until all of thecontents of the can have been dispensed. After each use, the receptaclemay be washed while it remains in place in the holder or, if desired, itmay be removed from the holder for cleansing purposes.

This invention may be used in connection with the dispensing of cofieeconcentrate, medicines or any other liquid which may be dispensed in themanner described.

Another important feature of the invention is that the receptacle may bea one-piece plastic molding having a hinged cover which normally closesthe top of the receptacle but may be opened for cleaning purposes.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and appended claims,when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of theinvention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood asillustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a receptacle and holder embodyingthis invention attached to an aerosol can.

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of some of the parts "Ice shown in FIG. 1while other parts are shown partially in section in the interest ofclearness.

FIG. 3 is a plan view as seen from the plane of the line 33 withportions of the structure shown in horizontal section.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a receiving receptacle which inpractice may be of any desired shape, but is illustrated in the drawingas simulating a coffee pot having a lid 2 hinged to the body of the potby a narrow flexible strip 3. The pot has a pouring spout 4 and isprovided with a handle 5 by means of Which the pot may be convenientlyrotated or lifted free from a holder 6.

The bottom of the pot has an internal boss 7 with an interior socket toreceive the tubular valve stem 8 of an aerosol can 9. The can shown hasthe usual mounting cup 10 for the valve with which aerosol dispensersare conventionally provided. At the base of the boss 7 there is opening11 so as to provide communication between the interior of the valve stemand the interior of the receptacle.

The receptacle 1 in all of. its parts is preferably a onepiece injectionmolding. It is adapted to seat on that portion of the valve stem 8 whichprojects into the holder 6. The holder has at its bottom an enlargedhollow base 12 provided with an internal annular head 13. The holder isalso a one-piece plastic injection molding and the base 12 is thussufiiciently elastic to permit it to be sprung over the peripheral edgeof the mounting cup 10 with the head 13 underlying said edge. In thismanner, the holder is firmly and immovably supported on the can andconsequently serves to protect the receptacle 1 and valve stem 8 againstlaterally applied shocks, and both the receptacle and holder againstinadvertent displacement from the can.

The parts are so proportioned that, under normal conditions, the spout 4is above the upper edge of the holder and so located that, when thevalve stem 8 is in its normally elevated position, the spout 4 willengage with the upper edge 14 of the holder and form a stop to precludesufficient downward movement of the receptacle to open the valve.However, the holder has a depression 15 in its upper edge so that, whenthe receptacle is manually rotated to bring the spout in registrationwith this depression, the receptacle may be depressed to open the valveof the can 9. When thus depressed, material will flow from the can intothe receptacle. In the holder are formed sight openings or windows 16through which the user may watch the accumulation of material dischargedfrom the can. When the desired amount of such material has beendelivered into the receptacle, depression of the receptacle will ceaseso that the valve of the can may close under the impulse of theconventional spring and the pressure Within the can. During thisoperation, the cover 2 is in closed position so that material introducedinto the can is confined therein.

After the can has accumulated the desired amount of liquid and the valveof the can is closed, the receptacle is rotated into a position whereinthe spout will be removed from registration with the depression 15. Thecan with receptacle attached may then be tilted to pour the contents ofthe receptacle out through the spout 4. Thereafter the receptacle may becleaned in place in the holder on the dispenser can or it may be removedfrom its holder, cleaned and then returned into cooperative relationwith the valve stem to await the next dispensing operation.

In accordance with this invention, the holder remains at all timessecured to the can and the receptacle like wise remains firmly supportedin the holder except when removed therefrom for cleaning.

If desired, either or both the holder and receptacle may be providedwith an upright graduated scale to indicate the amount or dosage of theliquid receive-d in the receptacle.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in itspreferred practical forms, but the invention is to be understood asfully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for dispensing liquid from an aerosol container having atubular valve stem extending outwardly through an opening in saidcontainer, said means comprising: a hollow holder with means forimmovably supporting the same disposed atop and extending outwardly fromsaid container, and a receptacle positioned within said holder andprovided at its bottom with a socket to receive the valve stem of suchcontainer, there being a passage between the socket and the interior ofthe receptacle and said receptacle being movable withinthe holder todepress the valve stem for the purpose of delivering liquid from thecontainer into the receptacle.

2. Means according to claim 1, wherein theside wall of the holder isprovided with a window through which liquid delivered into thereceptacle may be seen.

3. Means according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge of the holder isprovided with a depression and the receptacle is provided with a stopnormally engageable the upper edge of the holder to preclude operationof the valve stem but movable through rotation of the receptacle intoregistration with the depression to permit downward movement of thereceptacle to depress the valve stem to deliver liquid from thecontainer into the receptacle.

4. Means according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is provided with ahinged lid to preclude spattering of liquid from the container as it isdelivered into the latter.

5. Means for dispensing liquid from an aerosol container having atubular valve stem, said means compris ing: a tubular holder provided atits base with a flange means to detachably grip a portion of thecontainer in such manner that the holder extends outwardly therefromthereby to immovably mount the holder thereon, and a receptacle closelyfitted within the holder and having in its bottom a socket to receivethe valve stem and having an opening to the interior of the receptacleto deliver liquid from the container into the receptacle when the latteris depressed to depress the valve stem, said holder having therein atleast one window through which the material delivered into thereceptacle may be seen.

6. Means according to claim 5, wherein said flange is in the form of aninverted annular cup provided with an internal head to grip a portion ofthe container to rigidly mount theholder on the latter.

7. An assembly of the character described, comprising: a containerprovided with a mounting cup and having a tubular valve stem projectingupwardly from the latter, a tubular holder having at its base anenlarged annular inverted cup shaped flange provided with an internalbead adapted to grip and immovably support the holder on the container,a receptacle positioned within and vertically movable with respect tothe immovably mounted holder and having at its bottom a socket toreceive said valve stem with a passage between the socket and'the'interior of the receptacle whereby the receptacle may be movedfroman elevated position wherein the container is sealed to depressedposition wherein the valve stem is lowered to permit the delivery ofliquid from within the container into the interior of the receptacle.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 comprising: a stop on the receptaclepositioned to engage with the upper surface of the holder to restrainthe latter against depression, said receptacle being rotatable to movesaid stop into registration with anotch' in the upper surface of saidholder and thereby permit depression of the receptacle with consequentdelivery of material from the container into said receptacle.

9. Assembly according to claim 8, and a lid on said receptacle topreclude spattering of liquid out of the receptacle as it is deliveredinto the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Bullard 222394 XM. HENSON WOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, EVERETT'W. KIRBY, Examiners.

1. MEANS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID FROM AN AEROSOL CONTAINER HAVING ATUBULAR VALVE STEM EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAIDCONTAINER, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: A HOLLOW HOLDER WITH MEANS FORIMMOVABLY SUPPORTING THE SAME DISPOSED ATOP AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROMSAID CONTAINER, AND A RECEPTACLE POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOLDER ANDPROVIDED AT ITS BOTTOM WITH A SOCKET TO RECEIVE THE VALVE STEM OF SUCHCONTAINER, THERE BEING A PASSAGE BETWEEN THE SOCKET AND THE INTERIOR OFTHE RECEPTACLE AND SAID RECEPTACLE BEING MOVABLE WITHIN THE HOLDER TODEPRESS THE VALVE STEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF DELIVERING LIQUID FROM THECONTAINER INTO THE RECEPTACLE.